Police failed to extinguish 3179 fires in the last three years-Report

The Auditor General’s report relates that the Directorate of Fire Prevention and Emergency Rescue Services, which operates under the Uganda Police Force, is not adequately funded and facilitated to protect lives and properties in the event of multiple fire outbreaks.

The report also states that the said directorate has a total of 599 persons working in its staff as against the recommended staffing level of 1081 staff.

This has led to a reduced capacity which has left the directorate unequal to the task of putting out over 3179 fires in the last three years.

Most of these fires have resulted in cold cases where investigators have failed to establish the causes, amount of damage and loss from the fires as well as carry out post-incident evaluation of the same as a preventive measure against future fires.

“This has resulted in non-conclusion of investigations hence continued public dissatisfaction of the way Uganda Police Force handles fire investigations,” the report states.

However, the Uganda Police Force has scored some successes by having been able to respond to 4131 fire incidents in the last four years in which lives and properties have been rescued from destruction.

The Uganda Police Force Directorate of Fire Prevention and Rescue Services, headed by Assistant Inspector General of Police Joseph Mugisa, is responsible for the detection, prevention, protection, safety and education of the public regarding fire outbreaks.

This responsibility is carried out in several ways namely the extinguishing of fires in order to protect and save property from destruction by fire; prevention of fire through inspection, education, investigation and media campaigns on the rescue of life or any human being threatened by either natural or manmade hazards; and active participation as a key player in national disaster management activities with other stakeholders.

Most especially, a fire department or fire brigade, also known as a fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention, fire suppression, rescue, and hazardous materials mitigation.

When it comes to fire prevention, sensitisation by the fire department is essential.

In 2020/2021, the department was able to carry out 837 (29%) of the targeted 3020 sensitisations in the last four years.

“This has continued to expose buildings and their occupants to fire outbreaks and limited the capacity of citizens to prevent the occurrence of such incidents,” the Auditor General’s reported revealed.

In October 2020, 10 police officers completed four months of specialised training in firefighting and prevention which exposed them to basic knowledge and skills in exterior firefighting operations including safe response, scene security and exposure protection activities.

Also, during the four months of training, trainees were equipped with skills in escapement rescue, managing oil spillage, tackling a very complicated fire problems which may strike structures such as a bulk petroleum storage installation, and firefighting in an aircraft.

In the past, there plans to have fire stations in municipalities and towns where frequent fires are reported such as Lira, Kitgum, Soroti, Malaba, Busia, Iganga Lugazi, Mukono, Masindi, Buwama, Bushenyi, Ntungamo, Rukungiri, Mityana, Mubende, Moroto, Ntinda, Kitintale- Butabika, Nateete, and Kajjansi. However, this plan has not been brought to its fulfillment.